Critics' Choice: New CD's: John Legend

By JON PARELES

Published: October 27, 2008

JOHN LEGEND

''Evolver''

(G.O.O.D. Music/Columbia)

Just about everything's a come-on for John Legend on his sleekly calculated third album, ''Evolver.'' Watching a girl dance in ''Green Light,'' he declares, ''I'm ready to go right now.'' He tries to persuade his best friend to ''Cross the Line'' into bed. He looks at all the threats and problems in the world as more reasons to get together ''Quickly'' with his duet partner, Brandy. He starts ''This Time,'' a song about accidentally running into an ex-lover, as a lonely solo piano ballad; halfway through, as strings build up behind him, he asks, ''Can I come see you tonight?''

More than likely, he'll get away with it because the come-ons always sound so sincere. Mr. Legend stays plain and conversational: ''I still can't believe you found somebody new/ But I wish you the best -- I guess,'' he sings in ''Everybody Knows.'' As a singer Mr. Legend is approachable, not overbearing, using the touch of grain in his voice in ways he learned from Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley (whose reggae he imitates in ''No Other Love''). Most of his tracks are far more organic than those of his electronics-loving rival among R&B nice guys, Ne-Yo. Even when Mr. Legend uses programmed beats, he usually tops them with hand-played instruments like his own piano.

Mr. Legend avoided hip-hop collaborators on his previous album, ''Once Again.'' This time he enlists Andr?000 from OutKast to add club ambience to the electronic drums and synthesizer chords of ''Green Light.'' And his frequent collaborator, Kanye West, joins him in ''It's Over,'' an uncharacteristically snide song written by Pharrell Williams. Mr. Legend prefers to stay positive. At the end of the album he lifts his sights from romance for an earnest change-the-world song: ''If You're Out There,'' the song he introduced at this year's Democratic convention. With reverberations and a choral backdrop straight out of Seal, it's his only overreach. Mr. Legend is more charming one-on-one. JON PARELES